Arizona Cardinals vs. Dallas Cowboys: Live Score and Analysis for Arizona

Without Tony Romo, the Dallas Cowboys could muster little on offense. The Arizona Cardinals kept Brandon Weeden and Co. out of the end zone until garbage time, when Dez Bryant caught a 3-yard touchdown pass over Patrick Peterson.

The game's leading rusher was not DeMarco Murray, believe it or not. The Cardinals held him to under 100 yards, snapping his NFL-record eight-game streak of such games. He carried 19 times for 79 yards (4.2 yards per carry), while Ellington had 21 carries for 95 yards (4.5 YPC).

As predicted by offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin, new running back Marion Grice saw some action in the offense, finishing with five carries for 12 yards (2.4 YPC) and his first career touchdown.

Ellington also scored, on a pass from Carson Palmer from a yard out that put the game away midway through the fourth quarter.

Defensively, coordinator Todd Bowles brought pressure early and often against Weeden. The Cardinals sacked him just once (Dan Williams), but they were able to generate enough pressure to knock him off his timing with receivers. Weeden completed 18 of 33 passes (54.5 percent) for 183 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for a 55.5 passer rating.

His counterpart, Palmer, completed 22 of 34 (64.7 percent) for 249 yards, three touchdowns and an interception for a 103.7 rating. He came under heavy pressure at times and was sacked twice, but he made some fantastic plays to extend the pocket and find receivers open downfield—particularly on one play that netted 31 yards down the left sideline to receiver Ted Ginn Jr.

The Cardinals improve to 7-1 and stay atop the NFC this week. The Cowboys drop their second straight game and fall to 6-3 on the season. We will never know what might have been had Romo played in this game, but for what it's worth, Arizona indeed looks like the best team in the conference right now.

There is a lot of football left to be played, but as of this week, they are the best team in the NFC.

4th Quarter	1	2	3	4	Score
Cardinals	0	14	0	14	28
Cowboys	10	0	0	7	17